A whole village, built for three nights
The church grounds become a lantern-lit Bethlehem streetscape, bustling with villagers, merchants and pesky Roman soldiers. Grab a token coin on the way in — you'll want it to pay your taxes unto Caesar.
Gold Coast · 4, 5 & 6 December 2026
Step into Bethlehem.
Wander through a whimsical ancient village, alive with the sights, sounds and scents of the very first Christmas night. Free, family friendly, all welcome.
- People came each year
- 4,000+
- Year running
- 3rd
- Nights, 5pm to 9pm
- 3
Watch
One minute in the village.
What it is
Not a performance you watch. A place you walk into.
Something to make at every stall
Taste the spices of the time. Make a bracelet, a clay figurine or a leather bookmark. Try your hand as a fisherman, or watch the carpenter work. And if you'd like to arrive in ancient dress yourself, please do — plenty of people do, and it makes the whole thing feel real.
Animals you can actually meet
Goats, sheep and a donkey, led through the village by their keepers. Children are welcome to say hello.
Somewhere to sit and take it in
Straw bales and festoon lights along the street, so you can stop, let the children run about, let the atmosphere soak in.
Why we do it
The story is the point.
Built by volunteers, given to our neighbours
Everything you see is built and staffed by volunteers, because the birth of Jesus Christ is worth sharing — and sharing it with our neighbours is the best part of Christmas.
Two years in, the thing people tell us most often is that they came for the children and left having felt something themselves.
This is what it all points to
Every stall, every costume and every song is there to bring you to one quiet moment — a child born in a stable in Bethlehem, and what that has meant ever since.
How the night runs
What happens when you arrive.
Come for the village, the concert, or both — it's entirely up to you.
Collect your token coin
On arrivalYou'll need it later. Keep it somewhere safe.
Wander the village
45-60 minutesA lantern-lit street of merchant stalls, villagers and animals. Taste, make, pet, and try things at nearly every stop.
Pay your taxes unto Caesar
The Roman soldiers will find you. That's what the coin was for.
The musical
About 30 minutesSung and played live by musicians who bring the spirit of Christ into Christmas. This is the part people tell us about afterwards.
The Jesus Garden
A quieter walk to finish, under lanterns, where you can stop, read and write something down.
The Jesus Garden
Where the night gets quiet.
New this year
Bigger than last year, by request.
Three nights instead of two
Added because demand outgrew the weekend.
Evening shows
Later starts, so the lanterns and candlelight do their work.
More for the children
More activities across the village than either previous year.
Costumes and props enlarged
A significant step up on both previous years.
From last year
What people said afterwards.
We were there last night, and loved it. The children made some beautiful things and played great games. The performance was beautiful and singers were exceptional 🌟
Was fantastic last night. If you have children I would highly recommend this.
Melissa Traill Thank you for one of the best Christmas events that I've ever attended 🙏
Kerry Stephens-Petersen Despite the downpour last year, my children have spoken many a times of wanting to come back this year. They had such a fun time ❤️
Rodelle Motto-Douthett So well done, loved it all. Great displays, and show, fun and interactive. Thank you 🙏
Ruth Peleti Thoroughly enjoyed everything, thank you everyone for all the effort. Truly spectacular.
Faith Black Was a great experience!!! Thanks 🙏
Dianne Denny
Before you come
The practical bits.
Is there parking?
Yes — over 400 spaces on the church grounds, with allocated accessible parking. You shouldn't need to park on the street.
Is it accessible for prams and wheelchairs?
Yes, The whole route is flat and accessible, and there is allocated accessible parking on site.
How much walking is involved?
Very little — the village runs along about 50 metres of street.
How long should we allow?
Most people spend 45 to 60 minutes in the village, plus about 30 minutes for the concert.
Do we have to do both the village and the concert?
Not at all. Come to either, or both, in whichever order suits you.
What does it cost?
Nothing. It's a free community event and everyone is welcome.
Can we come in costume?
Please do. Plenty of visitors arrive in ancient dress, and it makes the village feel far more real for everyone.
Help bring the Christmas story to life.
We're looking for singers, musicians, narrators, stage crew, ushers and audio-visual help. No experience needed for most roles.